Rise of the Fallen (23 page)

The smoke disappeared from around her as her body dropped to the ground like a rag doll. Samael walked towards her, quickly lifting her chin and holding it firmly. Lilith's eyes shot open as she struggled to free herself from his grip. Samael stared intently into her eyes.

Soul and I stared in silent amazement as a dark shadow began to rise from Lilith's body, a small flicking sound echoed as it separated itself from her. It was over in a minute, the dark shadow's final tether was broken and Lilith gasped a final breath. Her eyes remained open but held no life. The strange shadow cracked above her as though it were burning before it disappeared into the cloud of black smoke that pooled around Samael's feet.

Soul whispered for me to stay still, and I obliged. He walked towards Samael, in an instant the eyes on Samael's wings turned all in a row to Soul. Samael turned his bandaged face to Soul slowly. Soul kept advancing, then reached up and pulled the bandages clear of Samael's face. It was something that should never have been seen. The Angel of Death was supposed to have an impenetrable mask, but it was pulled away as if it were nothing. Underneath the veil was the opposite of what I had expected. It wasn't a skull operated by an invisible force. Samael's face was handsome. It was tragic in a way, but still unbelievably beautiful. His eyes were closed, and his jaw was firmly shut.

“Don't fight me. It's time you gave all of this power over to someone else, Samael, someone who won't let it be abused,” Soul said in a gentle voice, reaching out a hand, his fingertips almost stroking Samael's pale cheek.

Samael didn't speak. Soul smiled, leaning forward to take his powers.

“Soul.” I held myself back. “If you kill death then no one else can die.”

Samael's lips curled up and he smiled gently, but didn't open his eyes. Soul turned to me, a similar smile on his lips.

“Don't be ridiculous Emilie. I will become Samael. Or rather, his powers will be mine. I can be death.” Soul smiled soothingly at me.

Samael willingly relinquished his life, his powers and his role as a
fallen angel. He relinquished it all to Soul. I watched in awe as Samael's lifeless body fell to the ground. The wings disappeared, leaving the simple body of a man. No one would ever suspect that he had once been an Angel of Death.

CHAPTER 18

Soul had taken me back to his extravagant house, leaving me in the entertainment room to occupy myself. I leaned back into the comfortable chair, listening out for a conversation, but I couldn't hear a thing. I sighed and closed my eyes. I didn't really know how it had happened but Soul had succeeded, and easily. I hadn't expected Samael to give up that quickly, perhaps he was tired. I think he knew exactly what Lilith had done; and was disheartened by her abusing the power that he had extended to her.

Soul told me he hadn't planned anything else, Markos was running rampant and either killing or turning any human he crossed paths with into a vampyre. It wasn't like it was Soul's fault. He couldn't control Markos so early in the piece.

There was a soft knock on the door and I mumbled for whoever it was to come in. Bato leaned around the door and asked me to join him outside. I followed quickly and Soul was standing on the top step of the staircase smiling down at me. His eyes were burgundy.

Markos stepped forward from the shadows. “With the vampyre population growing, we thought it would be wise if Soul took on some characteristics of my kind.”

I walked up the stairs to embrace Soul. He grinned and pulled me
tighter into his arms. I almost felt safe in his arms, but I was on edge. This was not a part of the plan.

I leaned in close to Soul, lowering my voice. “Can I talk to you alone, please?”

Silently he led me into a small room with a small dirty window at the end. Soul's house was otherwise impeccable, this room at the top of the stairs seemed so out of place. It was completely empty and the dim walls felt cool compared to the rest of the house.

I gave him a questioning look.

“This was Zacharia's room. I've no other use for it now,” Soul said dismissively. “What did you want to talk to me about, love?”

I don't know what I'd pictured Zacharia living in, but this was definitely not what I'd expected. The room was so small.

“Markos created new vampyres,” I stated. Soul said nothing so I continued, “Where are they, Soul?”

“Well I haven't seen any of them yet,” Soul said. The expression on my face must have shown my disbelief. “I trust Markos implicitly, Emilie. He's given me no reason to suspect he's anything but loyal.” The tone of his voice told me that the conversation was over.

I admit that it was the dangerous nature of vampyres that attracted me to Markos, but I knew better than to actually trust him. He had killed Savine, the last member of his own family. That alone should be of concern to Soul.

There was no doubt in my mind that Markos had created more of his kind, but who was to say that he would use them to help Soul?

Soul walked out leaving me alone in the small room. I moved to follow him, but Markos' towering figure blocked the doorway.

“Do you not trust me?” Markos asked with a threatening tone.

I took an instinctive step back. “What have you done, Markos?” My voice shook.

Markos waved his hand. “You can rest easy, Emilie. Your precious
human world is safe for now. My kind won't surface until I give the word.”

Was his smile supposed to put me at ease? I didn't see how, the last time he smiled like that I thought he was going to kill me.

“Does Soul know about this?”

Markos took a step towards me, backing me into a corner.

“I don't believe he needs to know yet. You will keep your mouth shut. I would hate to have to hurt you.” Markos' eyes turned dark with a sinister glint.

Flames covered my hands. Markos backed off. “Are you threatening me?” I asked in a warning tone.

Markos held up his hands in surrender, “No harm, no foul. But I think we could work well together, Emilie.”

He moved back so far that he was just outside the door.

“I will
never
be a part of your plans!”

“And what plans are you referring to?” He asked.

The flames rose higher from my now closed fists. I was going to set him alight, and save Soul the bother, when Dorian came to the door. He quirked an eyebrow at me, then looked at Markos who was shrinking away.

“Emilie, come out of here. I'd like to speak to you in the foyer,” Dorian said.

I followed him. The flames had relaxed but sparked when I passed Markos. He jumped back to avoid the embers that burst in the air. Dorian hadn't noticed, his back was to me as we walked down the large staircase to the foyer.

He turned to face me. We looked back to see if Markos had followed but he was nowhere in sight.

“I do wish you'd be more careful around Markos, Emilie, my dear,” Dorian said, his voice laced with concern.

“I'm capable of taking care of myself, Dorian.”

“That you are,” Dorian said tenderly.

“Besides, I believe I need to be ‘careful' around most demons, not just the vampyres,” I said.

He was standing in the centre of the foyer, his arms crossed neatly over his chest. His eyes were dark and cautious.

Dorian sighed, moving closer. “Emilie, I want you to come away with me.”

I laughed – louder than I intended. Soul loved me and he had done all this to protect me, to make us safe from Lilith. There was no reason for me to leave with Dorian.

He forced a smile, looking down at his hands. “I'm leaving; for good. I can't be a part of this anymore, he's taking this too far.”

“Okay. Bye then.” My voice sounded more cutting then I meant. “I need you to know that I love you, and I'll be here for you when you change your mind,” Dorian said, looking me in the eyes.

I wouldn't change my mind, I was sure of that. I nodded anyway.

“Goodbye, Emilie,” Dorian whispered, taking my hand and kissing it. Then he was gone.

CHAPTER 19

The hall was dark, deserted and cold. The grey stone flooring reflected flames from the many torches that lined each wall of the large room. Soul's arms were around me as I sat on his lap. The throne was beautiful, of course; a stunning black marble, with arms encrusted in large red rubies. Soul chuckled and gently bit me on the neck.

We were interrupted by the sound of the doors at the end of the hall swinging open to reveal Eric, the other fire elemental, being held roughly back by Bato. They waited just outside the doors for Soul's permission. Soul invited them in and as they approached, he bit me one more time.

I was almost sure that he had broken the skin this time and the thought sickened me. I hated that Soul had taken on those vampyre habits, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything. My disgust for the things he did hadn't outweighed my desire for him. Eric looked repulsed as Bato threw him to the floor.

“And what do you want?” Soul asked, completely uninterested in the answer.

“I want you to let Emilie go. She doesn't belong with you and she doesn't belong in your world.” Eric said. His eyes were a deep burgundy and filled with fire.

“She seems fine to me. As a matter of fact, she prefers her new life
with me. Don't you, love?”

I forced a smile as I felt Soul's lips press to my neck.

“For goodness sake Emilie, snap out of it!” Eric yelled.

“Snap out of what? Soul's right, I like being with him. I've never been happier.” I quickly breathed out my reply as once again Soul bit my neck, a little more gently than before. I wished I sounded more convincing.

“I can't believe you're letting him bite you.” Eric spat at me.

Eric's disgust rivalled my own. The love I felt for Soul was fading with every day that passed. He had become too powerful to leave just yet. I knew I was strong enough to defend myself from him, but the seven legions he reigned over were a different story. For now at least, I would much rather be his friend, lover and ally than his enemy.

“You sound like Cael.” I said, feeling pangs of guilt at the mention of his name.

Soul chuckled and shifted his arms from my waist up to my neck, choking me slightly.

“Be nice, love.” Soul's voice was playful.

“There's a good reason for that, Emilie. Cael came and found me,” Eric said dropping his tone to a whisper, “Will you leave all of this if Cael comes back?”

Soul made sure I didn't have a chance to respond first.

“Her powers are at their peak.” Soul stood up and placed me on the throne. “And yours, Eric, are weak. You're no match for either of us.” Soul took a few steps towards Eric, wiping my blood from his lips.

“At her peak?” Eric said incredulously, “Emilie, don't be stupid! You know your powers are even greater than his. Here, with
him
, they're controllable, but back in the human world our powers are limitless.”

I knew he was right; my powers were incredible when I was home and I missed using them. With a flick of Soul's wrist Eric was flung
backwards, his skull cracking against the stone floor. I waited, too scared to move. Eric pulled himself to his feet.

“I can kill you. I should kill you.” Eric hissed to Soul, clenching his fists as bright orange flames began to ignite along his knuckles.

“You can try,” Soul replied with another condescending smirk. He turned around and looked me in the eyes and a small smile appeared on his face as he spoke, “Bato, take care of it.”

Before Bato could reach Eric he was thrown back by a powerful force of energy.

“Hasriel!” Eric called out in a loud, panicked voice. That voice echoed through the empty hall. A blindingly bright, white light appeared beside him and out of it came wings that spread almost to either end of the great hall before coiling protectively around Eric. Cael appeared beside Hasriel staring up at me, his face impassive though there was a look of determination in his eyes.

“Cael?” I gasped.

His eyes left mine, resting on Soul.

“They're back, Soul.” Cael spoke, his face breaking into a grin, “What are you going to do now you have challengers?”

“Impossible!” Soul whispered, staring in shock.

“Oh, I promise you. It's possible.”

I sat in silent awe, grasping the arms of the throne, unable to move or stand up. Bato had stumbled backwards in horror and hadn't taken his eyes off the visitor for a second. He had reason to be astonished. Scared too. It was an angel. Eric had summoned an angel into the underworld. It was everything I had imagined an angel to be; beautiful and powerful. I had thought it damn near impossible to find one, after the last fight between the angels and the demons centuries ago. Soul had told me that the angels had gone into hiding after the demons had won and taken back what was “rightfully theirs”. It was by force, but nonetheless no angel had been seen for centuries. Cael was right.

“You can only keep her here so long, Soul,” Cael warned.

Eric agreed, “She'll find us soon.”

Cael looked back to me, mouthing “goodbye” before stepping closer to the angel. The wings closed tighter around Eric and in another flash of white light the faceless angel, Cael and Eric had disappeared. He'd done it. Cael had brought the angels back and I knew instantly that I had to find him again. Cael meant so much to me; I would do anything to be back in the human realm with him.

Soul hadn't uttered a word in minutes; he merely stood staring at the spot where the angel had appeared.

“They're coming back … We have to stop it,” Bato said, dusting himself off and looking up at Soul.

I stood up from the throne and walked slowly towards Soul. I reached out and gently touched his arm. He didn't speak but I knew he was worried. I wondered if any of that worry was about what I would choose, but I doubted it.